Power operated gum massager and tooth brush

ABSTRACT

A BRUSH MEMBER, COMPOSED OF A SHANK HAVING A TUFT OF BRISTLES ON ITS OUTER END, HAS ITS INNER END SECURED ON READILY ATTACHABLE AND DETACHABLE MEANS TO A MOUNTING PLATE AT THE FRONT OF A HOUSING. DRIVEN GEAR AND CRANK MEMBERS IN THE HOUSING IMPART TO THE PLATE A DISTINCTIVE MOVEMENT WHICH WILL MOVE THE TIPS OF THE BRISTLES IN A FIGURE EIGHT PATH. THIS MAKES IT POSSIBLE TO APPLY THE BRISTLES TO THE GUMS AND TEETH IN SUCH A MANNER THAT MOVEMENT OF THE BRISTLES, WHEN THEY ARE IN CONTACT WITH THE GUMS AND TEETH, WILL BE TOWARD THE OUTER ENDS OF THE TEETH. THIS ENABLES THE USER, AT ONE OPERATION TO BRUSH THE TEETH AND TO MASSAGE THE GUMS BY BRUSHING THEN OUTWARDLY ON THE TEETH AND TO AVOID BRUSHING THE GUMS BACK ON THE TEETH.

March 16, 1971 F. H. BARNETT POWER OPERATED GUM MASSAGER AND TOOTH BRUSHFiled June 24, 1969 INVENTOR. Forest H Bar/2e tt f (I ATTORNEY UnitedStates Patent 3,570,035 POWER OPERATED GUM MASSAGER AND TOOTH BRUSHForest H. Barnett, 625 S. Trafton, Tacoma, Wash. 98104 Filed June 24,1969, Ser. No. 836,032 Int. Cl. A46b 13/00 US. Cl. -22 6 Claims ABSTRACTOF THE DISCLOSURE A brush member, composed of a shank having a tuft ofbristles on its outer end, has its inner end secured on readilyattachable and detachable means to a mounting plate at the front of ahousing. Driven gear and crank members in the housing impart to theplate a distinctive movement which will move the tips of the bristles ina figure eight path. This makes it possible to apply the bristles to thegums and teeth in such a manner that movement of the bristles, when theyare in contact with the gums and teeth, will be toward the outer ends ofthe teeth. This enables the user, at one operation to brush the teethand to massage the gums by brushing then outwardly on the teeth and toavoid brushing the gums back on the teeth.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION Ser. No. 809,303, filed byapplicant Mar. 21, 1969.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A general object of this invention is toimprove the construction of the gum massager and tooth brush disclosedin my prior patent application hereinbefore identified.

The gum massager and tooth brush disclosed in my hereinbefore identifiedprior application has two brush members which are moved synchronously sothat the tips of the bristles of each brush follows a generally oval butseparate and distinct path, the oval paths followed by the bristles ofthe two brushes being positioned end to end and being relatively fiat,that is, of much greater length than width. An object of my presentinvention is to provide a gum massager and tooth brush in which a singlebrush member is operated by mechanism similar to that disclosed in mysaid prior application and in which the movement imparted to said singlebrush has all of the desirable characteristics of the combined movementof the two brushes of the prior application, while at the same timereducing the bulk of the parts which must be used in the mouth.

Another object is to provide a driven gum massager and tooth brush inwhich the bristle tips of a single brush member are moved in a pathhaving the outline of a figure eight, thereby making it possible tostroke both the upper and lower gums and teeth in an outward direction,or toward the crowns of the teeth, at a single brushing operation.

Other objects of my invention will be apparent from the followingdescription and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view partly in sideelevation and partly in cross section of a power operated gum massagerand tooth brush embodying my invention, part of the motor housing beingbroken away.

FIG. 2 is a view partly in plan and partly in section, takensubstantially on broken line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view, with parts in elevation, looking in thedirection indicated by line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view in end elevation showing the brush carryingend of the device.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detached fragmentary perspective view showing thebase or inner end portion of a brush slant.

FIG. 6 is an enlargedsectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a somewhat diagrammatic view in elevation showing crank meansof modified form. Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughoutthe several views.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The power driven tooth brushcomprising a main frame and housing member including side walls 15, aback wall 16, a removable front wall 17 which is secured by screws 18 tothe side walls 15 and tubular hub 19 protruding from the rear or outerside of the back wall 16. Tubular shank 20 on the forward end of acombined motor case and handle 21 fits within the housing hub 19, andhub 19 and shank 20 are rigidly secured together in any suitable way.Two small enmeshed gear wheels 22 and 23 are disposed within the housingand are respectively provided with rearwardly extending bearing pins 24and 25 which are journaled in the back wall 16 and with larger forwardlyextending bearing hubs 26 and 27 which are journaled in the removablefront plate 17 of the housing. The hubs 26 and 27 are preferablyshouldered, FIG. 1, and they terminate approximately flush with theouter face of the housing plate 17. A driven shaft 28 of a motorcontained in case 21 has a driving connection with the bearing pin 24 ofgearwheel 22.

A flat brush carrying plate 30 is positioned in front of and close tothe front housing wall 17 and is connected by two crank members 31 and32, herein shown, to be screws, with the respective gearwheels 22 and23, crank members 31 and 32 are at approximately equal distances fromthe axes of the respective gearwheels 22 and 23. Crank member 31operates in a slot 33 in the plate 30. Crank member 32 operates in asnugly fitting hole in said plate 36. The gearwheels 22 and 23 aremeshed so that when the crank members 31 and 32 are in a plane common tothe axes of the two gearwheels they are closest together and are alwaysat the same sides of the gearwheel axes. Obviously plate 30 will movewith the crank member 32 while the other crank member 31 will slide inslot 33 and impart a swinging or rocking movement to said plate 30.

The outer side of the brush carrying plate 30 is provided with anoutwardly protruding rigidly attached tubular socket 34 which is adaptedto receive an enlarged inner end 35 of a brush shank or handle 36.Bristles 39 of conventional tooth brush type protrude transversely fromthe outer end portion of the shank 36.

The interior of the socket 34, FIG. 6, is provided with an inwardlyextending rib or tooth 37 over which any one of a plurality of grooves38 in the larger end part 35 of the brush shank 36 will fit when saidpart 35 is inserted in the socket 34. This prevents rotation of part 35in socket 34 and at the same time makes possible rotative adjustment ofthe shank 35, 36 in the socket 34. Snap-0n type brush holding means isprovided to releasably hold the brush shank part 35 in the socket 34.The shank holding means herein disclosed comprises a ball 40 movablydisposed in a suitable bore in a boss 41 which is part of the socket 34and extends outwardly therefrom. A compression spring 42 supportedagainst a screw 43 urges the ball 40 toward the end part 35 of shank 36.A bore in which the ball 40 is guided is shaped so that it prevents theball 40' from being pushed entirely into the socket 34 but permits partof said ball to extend into the socket 34 and into a transverse groove44 in the enlarged inner end 35 of the shank 36 and serve as a readilyreleasable detent member for releasably securing the brush shank 36 tothe plate 30. The devices just described serve as efiicient, readilyadjustable, and readily attachable and detachable means for securing thebrush member to the plate 30.

The preferred embodiment herein illustrated shows the brush shank 36approximately straight and supported approximately perpendicular to theplate 30 by the socket 34. FIGS. 1, and 4 show the bristles 39 extendingin a downward direction from the shank 36 and show a preferred positionof the socket 34 by which a satisfactory figure eight shaped path oftravel of the tips of the bristles 39, as indicated by c in FIG. 4, isobtained. It will be understood that the bristles 39 may extend in adifferent direction from that shown in FIG. 4, for instance in anopposite or upward direction. If they do then the socket 34 will betransversely offset more than illustrated in FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 shows the two crank members 31 and 32 horizontal and in a closesttogether position and both to the right of the axes about which theyrevolve. Said crank members are at their maximum distance apart whenthey have moved in opposite directions ninety degrees from the closesttogether horizontal position, in which they are shown in FIG. 4, to avertical position.

In said FIG. 4 the line aa indicates a plane common to the axes of saidtwo crank members and the line ff indicates a plane perpendicular toplane aa and intersecting plane aa between the two crank members andcloser to crank member 31 then crank member 32, the distance along lineaa from plane ff to crank member 31 preferably is between one-fourth andone-half of the distance to crank member 32 when the two crank membersare closest together. The socket 34, which determines the point ofattachment of brush shank 36 to plate 30 has its center on or near theplane f-f and said socket is transversely offset from plane aa asubstantial distance, which preferably is equal to about one-half of thedistance between the two crank members when they are closest together.If the bristles 39 extend away from plane aa, as shown then asatisfactory figure eight path of movement of the bristle tips isobtained by positioning socket 34 as just described but it will beunderstood that this positioning can be varied.

If the bristles 39 shown in FIG. 4 protrude upwardly toward plane aa amore satisfactory path of movement of their tips results if socket 34 isfarther from plane aa.

If the crank member are screws threaded directly into the hubs of thegearwheels, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 6 the length of throw of eachcrank must be less than the diameter of the gearwheel with which it isconnected. By use of an adjustable crank arm mechanism, as shown in FIG.7, I am able to obtain some increase in the length of the crank throwand in the length and width of the brush stroke.

Said FIG. 7 shows two crank arms 46, 47 secured to the respectivegearwheel hubs 22 and 23, each by two screws 48 and 49 which extendthrough seats 50 and 51 in the crank arms 46 and 47 and are threadedinto the hubs 22 and 23.

The crank arms 46 and 47 operate between the front wall 17 of thehousing and the plate 30 and the heads of the screws 48 and 49 arecountersunk into said crank arms. Crank members in the form of screws 52and 53, the heads only of which are shown, are threaded into the outerends of the respective crank arms 46 and 47. It will be understood thatscrews 52 and 53 carry and operate a brush carrying plate, not shown inFIG. 7, but which is similar to plate 30, use of the adjustable crankarms shown in FIG. 7 makes it possible to obtain both a longer and awider path of travel of the bristle tips than can be obtained with thecrank structure shown in FIGS. 1 to 6. In other ways the operation ofthe FIG. 7 structure is similar to that of l to 6.

In the operation of the brush shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, as the two crankmembers 31 and 32 rotate in opposite directions and at the same rate ofspeed, the end portion of the plate 30 which is journaled on the crankmember 32 will be moved in a circular path and the other end portion ofsaid plate 30 will be guided on, and swingingly moved by the crankmember 31 which operates in the slot 33. Thus results in movement infigure eight path, as indicated by c in FIG. 4, being imparted to atleast a medial portion of plate 30 which lies between planes aa and ff.

The amplitude and shape of the figure eight path of movement ofdilferent parts of or points on the central area of the plate 30 isdifferent and the shape and length and width of the figure eight path 0traversed by the bristle tips is to a great extent dependent on thelocation at which the inner end of the brush shank 36 is attached tosaid plate 30, this is the location of socket 34. The length of thefigure eight path 0 traversed by the bristle tips also varies directlywith the distance of transverse offset of the socket 34 from the planeaa. The length of bristles 39 and the direction in which they are toprotrude also are factors to be considered in positioning socket 34.

When the bristle tips are being moved in a figure eight path, asindicated by c in FIG. 4 the bristles can apply to the gums and teeth sothey will manage the gums and brush the teeth of both the upper andlower jaws at same operation and in such a way that they will alwaysmove from the gums outwardly toward the crowns of the teeth. This avoidsbrushing the gums back on the teeth, which if done, can cause them torecede.

The bristles 39 can also be applied to either upper or lower teeth insuch a way that its direction of movement in one loop of the figureeight movement is from the gums toward the crowns of the teeth and inthe other loop is across the crowns of the same teeth.

I claim:

1. In a power operated gum massager and tooth brush, a housing; twocrank members supported by said housing in side by side relation; meansoperable in revolving said crank members in opposite directions and atthe same rate of speed; a brush carrying plate supported on and movableby said two crank members, one of said crank members being pivotallyjournaled in the plate for move ment of the plate with the crank member,said plate having in it a slot spaced from and extending in a directiongenerally radial to said pivotally journaled crank member and the othercrank member being slidably movable in said slot, said two crankmembers, when in operation, imparting to a part of the plate betweensaid crank members movement along a path having the shape of a fiattenedfigure eight; brush shank rigid with said brush carrying plate andprotruding outwardly from a part of said plate which is between the twocrank members and transversely otfset perpendicularly from a planecommon to the axes of said two crank members; and bristles protrudingtransversely from the outer end portion of said shank, the tips of saidbristles being movable in a figure eight shaped path by operation ofsaid crank members.

2. The power operated gum massager and tooth brush claimed in claim 1 inwhich the point of attachment of the brush shank to the brush carryingplate lies in a plane perpendicular to the plane common to the axes ofthe two crank members and which intersects said plane common to the axesof the two crank members closer to the crank member which operates inthe slot in said brush carrying plate than to the other crank member.

3. The power operated gum massager and tooth brush as claimed in claim 1in which the inner end of the brush shank is connected with the brushcarrying plate by devices which are readily attachable and detachableand which provide for rotary adjustment of said brush shank on its axis.

4. The power operated gum massager and tooth brush as claimed in claim 1in which a tubular socket is provided on the outer side of the brushcarrying plate and is adapted to receive the inner end portion of saidbrush shank and support said shank, and in which said socket and theinner end portion of said brush shank are provided with cooperatingmeans to rotatively position said shank in said socket and withcooperating means to releasably retain said brush shank in said socket.

5. The power operated gum massager and tooth brush as claimed in claim 1in which the throw of the two crank members is equal and said crankmembers are revolved in opposite directions and at the same rate ofspeed by two enmeshed gearwheels of equal size.

6. The power operated gum massager and tooth brush as claimed in claim 1in which the two crank members are carried by the outer end portion oftwo crank arms respectively, and in which the two crank arms are adjust-References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1931 Byers et a1 15-22(A)2/1966 Hartmann 15-22 EDWARD L. ROBERTS, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.7450; 12862

